


Secret language of books

by sarcastissimo



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec Lightwood & Jace Wayland Friendship, Alec Lightwood-centric, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Library, Archery, First Kiss, M/M, Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood First Meet, archery instructor Alec, bookworm Alec, bookworm Magnus, introvert Alec, librarian Magnus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-03-09
Packaged: 2018-09-19 03:06:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9415391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcastissimo/pseuds/sarcastissimo
Summary: Alec's life revolves around his work. It's simple. It's well-organised. It's uneventful. And Alec loves his boring life.But everything changes when the new library is opened and a mysterious librarian sparks his everyday life.





	1. One small change can change it all

   Alec was always a fan of reading. After all, it _was_ a solitary activity, and solitary activities suited him very well. Skimming through the pages whilst trying to hold the balance in a moving subway, finishing the chapters in bed before going to sleep – those activities were his thing. But he never was a fan of libraries. Alec preferred the anonymity of a bookstore and the silence of his living room. So when he noticed a new library being opened just a block away from his apartment, he didn’t think much of it.  Quickly passing by, he glanced in its direction, other things on his mind. He still managed to catch the word the painters were writing on a sign above the door, though. _Crossroads_. Interesting name for a library, Alec thought. But at that moment he realized his train was going to leave so he rushed down the stairs leading to the subway station, forgetting all about the library along the way.

 

Until one morning he saw the librarian.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey man, yeah, I’m going to be a bit late today, my usual station is under construction again, so I’ll have to go to the other one and change trains. Okay, thanks. Tell David to work on his aiming skills until I get there, will you? Thanks, see you in an hour.” Alec ended his conversation with Vin, an archery instructor and his co-worker. He let out a loud sigh and cursed under his breath. He hated being late and breaking the routine more than anything, and right now, he was forced to do both. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to accept the situation he was in. _C’mon Alec, work on your flexibility. Change isn’t always bad._ He could almost hear Izzy’s words. A light smile appearing on his lips, Alec threw on a jacket, picked up his backpack and went out.

It was a beautiful day. Warm spring sun reflected from the windows and puddles on the road, making everything seem bright and pure. Alec pushed his way through the rushing crowd on the sidewalk and headed towards a less busy street. Although this wasn’t his preferred way to work, he had to admit it was quite nice, with small shops lining the street and windows filled with flower pots. The subway station was only a minute or two away, considering his fast pace. Upon noticing the purple letters painted on the building to his left, Alec recognized the newly-opened library he saw last week.  Just as he was passing by, he heard a soft jingle created by tiny bells suspended above the door. Following the sound, he turned his gaze back to the library and stopped dead in his tracks.

There, standing in the doorframe like a painting-come-to-life, was the most magical person Alec had ever seen. The young man, maybe a year older than Alec, closed his eyes and tilted his head upwards, soaking in the warmth of the spring morning. His chest rose and fell, stretching the fabric of the dark shirt he was wearing.  Even from the other side of the road, Alec could see a soft smile forming on his lips. Instantly, a thought emerged in Alec’s head. _So that’s how the most beautiful smile in the world looks like._ He felt his cheeks getting warmer upon registering his thought, but there wasn’t much he could do to suppress it. After a moment the young man opened his eyes and bent down to place a doormat on the entrance, one strand of his otherwise perfectly arranged dark hair falling into his eyes. _He must be the librarian._ Alec watched, enchanted, while he gracefully stepped outside once more to make sure everything looked fine before disappearing behind the door in one swift cat-like movement.

Alec would’ve probably still been standing there staring, if it weren’t for the delivery truck that honked loudly behind his back, making him realize that he was in fact standing in the middle of the road. Jumping aside to let the truck pass, the boy glanced at his watch and cursed for the second time that morning. He was so late. Alec rushed down the stairs to the subway station once more, but this time even the fact that he’d missed his train couldn’t make him forget about the library and the man he saw there. And to be perfectly honest, he didn’t want to.


	2. Let the heart lead the way

_3:41 p.m._ Soft glow of the large digital clock suspended on the wall warned Alec that it was almost the end of his shift. “C’mon, Alicia, one more time and then we’re done.” The little girl standing next to him raised her bow and squinted, trying to aim. Alec smiled endearingly. She was only 6, and she reminded him of himself when he first started doing archery. She was quite good, too. Alicia finally released her arrow and it hit the target on the far side of the hall. “Yaaay! I did it!” She grinned, jumping up and down around Alec. He returned the grin and high-fived her. “Good job, Robin Hood. Now go change, I’m sure your mom’s already waiting for you.” Picking up his bow, he left the hall himself and strode to the staff room.

Only after closing the door and plunging down to the desk did he allow his thoughts to roam. And, naturally, they went back to the mysterious librarian he saw earlier that day. No matter what happened in his personal life, Alec never allowed himself to be distracted at work. But today, he had to actively prevent his thoughts from wandering, and that unusual strain exhausted him. And yet, at the same time he was filled with a strange, electric energy. He didn’t even know what fascinated him so much about the man. “Lost in your thoughts again, are you?” Alec almost fell off the desk at the sound of Vin’s voice. “What the- Why didn’t you say you were here earlier!?”

Frustrated, he threw a random trophy to the other side of the room, where Vin lay sprawled out over the couch. The trophy missed Vin’s head for an inch, but caused him to jump to the sitting position. “Sorry.” Alec’s whispered apology was followed by a deep sigh. Vin quickly changed his alarmed face expression to a worried one. “You okay, Alec? You seemed very… distracted today.” Although he didn’t let it show, Alec panicked. What should he say? For some reason, he didn’t want to tell Vin about the librarian. Not yet, anyway. “Is it because of the complications from this morning? The station being under construction and all that?” Alec gratefully accepted the offered explanation. “Yeah. I mean, I know it’s not that big of a deal, but I was already in the bad mood in the morning, so…” Vin let out a laugh.

“Don’t worry man, I get it. Happy to hear it’s not anything more serious. C’mon, go home and rest, I’ll lock this place up.” Raising from the couch, he stretched and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “I’ll have to wait for Mary, anyway. She’s picking me up to go to her place.” Alec offered him a grateful smile and quickly gathered his stuff. One short “Say hi to Mary, bye!”, and Alec was on his way home.

* * *

 

Of course the library was still open. Why wouldn’t it be open? Alec’s gaze was fixed on its door from the moment he left the subway station, so he could clearly see people leaving and entering the shop. He wasn’t sure what he had expected to see. Maybe the librarian looking through the window? Whatever it was, it didn’t happen, and Alec was just passing by the library when his feet suddenly changed the course and turned towards the door. Why was he doing this? Did he even want to do this? So many unanswered questions. _The guy from this morning probably already went home._ And still, his hand clutched the door handle and pushed the door open. Alec heard the familiar jingle of the bells above his head. _Well, it’s over now._ _I might as well go inside and take a look._

The place was magnificent, but not in _this-is-a-royal-palace_ way. It was sure larger than Alec had initially thought, though, with narrow wooden stairs leading to the gallery which lined the square room. There were no walls dividing the shop into smaller rooms, but there were large bookshelves creating cozy, secluded areas meant for reading. Dark-colored Persian rugs covered the floor, creating a warm, homey atmosphere. Several large armchairs were distributed unevenly across the library, clearly unmatched, and yet the whole room somehow fit together perfectly. Maybe it was because of the books. They were _everywhere_. Alec roamed in wonder between the antique coffee tables, trying not to disturb a couple of people reading, but still in complete awe of this magical place.

“Can I help you?” The soft voice brought Alec back to reality, only to throw him into trance once more, because _this was him._ The librarian was indeed in front of him, the only thing separating them being the counter. His look was patient and gentle, but also curious, as if he was searching for something hidden in the taller boy’s face. Their eyes met, and Alec’s breath hitched. The librarian’s eyes were such a light shade of green, they seemed almost yellow. There was an incredible depth within them, too. Alec thought he could get lost in them. Alec _was_ getting lost in them. He was standing there, smiling, like some idiot who couldn’t form a simple sentence. _Damn, what was the question again?_ He extended his arm. “I, uh, I’m Alexand- Alec.”

Just as he said those words, he instantly got the urge to punch himself in the face. _What the hell, Alec? He sure as hell didn’t ask you your name._ However, the librarian didn’t seem to mind. He shook his hand and offered him an amused smile. “Delighted to meet you, Alexander. Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?” He really didn’t think this through. If he were any braver, he could’ve said “ _your phone number”_ , but that just wasn’t him. _Oh well, let’s just go with raw honesty. It’s not like it could get any more embarrassing._ “Uhm, not really, it’s just… This place is incredible.” The yellow-eyed man smiled sheepishly and looked to the side for a moment, before returning his gaze to Alec’s face. “Thank you. I’m quite proud of this place, so it’s nice to hear that the others like it, too.”

They stood there in a comfortable silence for a moment, neither knowing what to say, but both not wanting to part ways already. Then a small spark appeared in the librarian’s eyes, as if he just got an amazing idea. “Since you don’t have any specific books in mind, why not let me choose one for you? I’m pretty good at reading people’s taste in books.” He shuffled on his feet, somewhat insecure. “That is, if you think you can trust me that much.” Feeling the heat in his cheeks rising once again, Alec flashed him a toothed smile and nodded. “Sure, that sounds great.”

With a glint of relief in his eyes, the man disappeared behind the bookshelves and returned a few moments later, carrying a novel in his hand. It was _The Waves,_ by Virginia Woolf. He handed it over to Alec, curious to see his reaction. Alec raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. He didn’t read this one, but was intrigued. _Can he really guess which book I’ll like?_ As if he could read his mind, the librarian grinned. “Let me know what you think of it.” Before he could do anything embarrassing, Alec nodded, said goodbye and hurried home, clutching the book to his chest. As soon as he arrived, he threw the book to the counter to take off his shoes, determined to start reading right away. However, a little piece of paper that fell out of the book caught his attention. Alec picked it up from the floor and a wide smile appeared on his lips. Seven words were written over the paper in small, elegant handwriting.

**_My name is Magnus, by the way._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course I neglected all the work I had to do and instead wrote another chapter. I'll probably end up hating myself for the rest of the week because of it, but it was just too much fun to write! Part of the credit surely goes to you and your lovely comments, because they're the best motivation an author can have, so thank you all. I hope this chapter didn't disappoint. Also, I'd like to use this as a chance to kindly ask all the ARCHERS out there to feel free to correct my poor archery-related vocabulary. I'm just a human, after all.


	3. Some new habits

**_My name is Magnus, by the way._ **

Alec kept tracing the letters with his thumb, absentmindedly sipping his morning coffee. He still couldn’t believe that the librarian - _Magnus_ – slipped this note into his book. Needless to say, Alec has already nearly finished reading the book. He was saving the last few chapters for his ride to work. He had to admit, it was a really good book. It kept his attention through the wee hours of the night, causing him to swallow one chapter after another. Alec glanced at his watch. It was still too early for him to get going, but he was oddly restless (it was probably the adrenaline kicking in after his sleepless night). Finally, deciding that he would rather be early for work than remain sitting at his kitchen table for one more second, Alec grabbed his backpack and slammed the apartment door behind his back.

Taking his usual long steps, Alec reached the side street (or _Library Street_ , as he started calling it in his head) in no time. He deliberately slowed down, giving himself enough time to fully study the front side of the building. As it was still quite early in the morning, the sign on the library door still said “CLOSED”, but Alec noticed a movement behind one of the windows. He resisted the urge to go inside. _Now that would just be too weird._ He should at least wait ‘till the next morning. That way, he won’t seem like some kind of a freak. Or a stalker.

Reluctantly, Alec averted his eyes from the library and moved on.

He was way too early. His first student shouldn’t arrive for at least 30 minutes.  Alec mentally congratulated himself on being smart enough to keep a few chapters of the book unread, because otherwise his only option right now would be to clean the mess Vin had made in the staff room, and that really wasn’t Alec’s idea of a pleasant morning.

He started looking for a place to settle down and read. As the staff room looked like there was a bomb explosion in there, it was out of the question. Eventually, he settled for the training room. Crossing his legs, he lowered himself to the floor in the corner of the room and leaned back against the wall. It wasn’t long until his thoughts got lost between the pages. Alec was so determined to finish the book before the start of his working hours that he didn’t even look up when he heard the door opening.  Vin approached him, one bow in each of his hands.

“Hey Alec, what- “ Alec raised a finger, silencing him. His eyes wandered left and right for a few more seconds, scanning the rest of the page. As he finished reading the last sentence, he closed he book with a contemplated exhale and elegantly rose from the floor, now standing face to face with Vin. “Had to finish a book.” Vin gave him a strange look, but eventually shrugged and handed him his bow. “How come you arrived so early today?” Alec smiled to himself and started walking towards the door. “Couldn’t sleep.”

Looking over his shoulder a second later, he shot a scolding look towards Vin. “How come _you_ were in such a hurry yesterday that you didn’t manage to at least pick up all that trash from the floor in the staff room?” Vin grinned, showing no sign of remorse. “Oh, I wasn’t in a hurry. I just didn’t feel like doing it.” He poked Alec in the ribs, causing the boy to jump in surprise. “And also”, he said teasingly, “I was counting on my always-so-neat-buddy-Alec to clean it all up.” Alec rolled his eyes and pushed Vin’s hand away, trying to look irritated, but not succeeding.

“Well then can you explain why I didn’t do it?”

“Because you had to finish reading that book?”

“No.” Alec looked him straight in the eye. “Because I’m not your bitch, Vin.” He walked away, unable to hide a smile, leaving visibly shocked Vin standing frozen behind his back.

 

* * *

 

 

 By the end of his shift, Alec was starting to feel the fatigue setting in. The caffeine and adrenaline have worn off, and all he wanted to do was to curl in his bed and fall asleep. However, when he sensed the book under his fingertips while digging through the backpack, he instantly decided to break the promise he gave to himself that morning and go to the library that same day. _Well, I did finish the book, so I need something new to read…_ Alec was very well aware that that was a giant lie used as an excuse to go see Magnus, but at this point he was too tired to try and reason with himself.

 

As the bells announced his arrival Alec scanned the room, once again admiring the magical library. He heard Magnus’ voice coming from somewhere to his right, slightly muffled by soft book covers covering all flat surfaces. A moment later, Magnus emerged from behind one of the bookshelves, followed by an old lady. “… and that is why this book is a far better choice if you’re looking for interesting facts about cats, Mrs. Collins.” The old lady looked overjoyed. She stared adoringly at Magnus, obviously enchanted by him. Of course she was. Who wouldn’t be?

As the lady began her extensive expressions of gratitude, Magnus raised his eyes and noticed a slightly uncomfortable-looking Alec standing by the door. He shot him a reassuring smile, as if he wanted to say: _Sorry for this, be there in a second. Don’t leave just yet._ Then he returned his attention to the lady and with a pair of carefully chosen sentences sent her on her way home. “I hope I get to meet Mr. Meows one day, Mrs. Collins!” He closed the door behind her and approached Alec.

“Hello, Alexander.” As if on cue, Alec blushed. _God._ _I really have to work on controlling that._

“Hi, um- Hi, Magnus.“ Magnus looked pleased with the fact that the boy remembered his name. A corner of his lip curled into a smile. “I can see you found the note.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I- I did.” _Stop. The. Stutter. Alec. And think of something to say, while you’re at it._

“So, uh, cats? If I understood correctly, you know a thing or two about them.” Alec barely managed to stop himself from groaning out loud. _Cats!? As a conversation starter!? What is my problem?_

Luckily, Magnus didn’t seem to mind. He even let out a giggle that instantly melted Alec’s nervousness away. “Yes, cats. They’re kind of my thing.” He started walking towards the counter, leading them away from the door. “I even have one. His name’s Chairman Meow. He’s grumpy and demanding, but he’s the closest thing to a roommate I’ve ever had.” It was Alec’s turn to giggle.

Magnus stopped and turned to face him, a curious and slightly amused expression on his face. “So.  Did you stop by just to say hi – not that I mind – or have you already finished that book I gave you yesterday?”

“Yes I- I mean, no- I mean- “ Alec stopped to take a deep breath when he realized he was making no sense.

“Both.” He made a pause to see Magnus’ reaction, but other than a strange glint in his eyes, he didn’t seem to move. Alec reached into his backpack and took out _The Waves_.

“So, was I right? Did you enjoy it?” Alec handed Magnus the book. “Very much”, he confessed. “I really don’t get how you managed to do it. Even I don’t exactly know my taste in books.” Magnus just wiggled his eyebrows, obviously proud of himself. “Well then, I suppose you _could_ let me choose you another one.”

Not waiting for a reply, he turned his back to Alec and started digging through a pile of books behind the counter. That provided Alec with an opportunity to study the patterned green fabric of Magnus’ shirt. It was tucked into black pants with suspenders. The boldly colored shirt combined with suspenders might’ve looked odd on anyone else, but not on Magnus. Everything fitted him perfectly, and he managed to pull the outfit off effortlessly. _Is there anything this man can’t do?_

“Ha! There it is!” Magnus straightened himself and victoriously raised the book he was obviously looking for. “ _Inferno._ By Dante Alighieri. Some say that such books are outdated, but I think you’ll find his opinion on the society of his era quite… interesting.” He leaned over the counter and whispered, as if revealing a great secret. “His sassiness game is on point, too.” Alec burst out laughing. He didn’t think he’d ever find anything about Dante Alighieri even remotely funny, but there he was, wiping the tears from his eyes. He reached for the book. “Thanks. I’ll keep an eye out for the sassy remarks.”

“Good. Now go home and read. And when you’re finished reading, come back and beg for more.”

Alec ran the fingers through his hair to hide the fact that Magnus’ answer made his face turn bright red. “Yeah... Sure. Of course. See you then, then.”  Magnus escorted him to the door. “See you then, Alexander.”

 

As he exited the library, Alec felt his energy level dropping once more. He rushed home and, despite his desire to start reading right away, decided it was for the best if he first slept a little. He didn’t have work tomorrow, anyway, so he could spend the whole Sunday reading. He barely managed to pull off his trousers before passing out on the bed, his dreams filled with one particular shade of yellowish-green.

 

He went back to the library the next afternoon, proudly returning the finished book. Magnus didn’t look surprised – he already had the next book prepared ( _The Little Prince_ by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry).

 

* * *

 

Although the construction work had finished and his usual subway station was opened on Monday, Alec didn’t return to his old route to work. It turned out he already made a habit of following the “ _Library Street_ route”. Actually, he made quite a few new habits – visiting the library daily, reading every night. And, of course, seeing Magnus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry you had to wait for this one, I got caught up in work and had no time to write. But it's longer than the last two chapters, so I hope that redeems me a little.  
> The famous "I'm not your bitch" sentence floated in that scene so naturally and I absolutely had to use it, because it's just Alec's sassy soul summed up - thank you, Cassandra Clare, for making me laugh for an hour after reading it for the first time. (This might be a nice opportunity to also state that none of the characters in this fic - apart from Vin, he's my messy child - belong to me. They're all Cassie Clare's creation. I know that, you know that, the birds in a tree know that, but better safe than sorry, right?)  
> I hope you didn't completely hate it, tell me what you think! And as always, thank you for your kind comments :)


	4. Feverish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry you had to wait this long for a new chapter. I could go on and on about how I had a ton of work to do, but I don't want to sound like I'm just making excuses so... Sorry.   
> I can't wait to finish the next chapter! It's when things are finally starting to happen. I hope to post it in the next two days.   
> Thank you for reading this, I hope you're enjoying the story so far :)  
> (Also, last week's episode of Shadowhunters? Malec's first date!? Oh boy. I can't stop rewatching it.)

A week had passed, and Alec got used to reading one book per day. Today, however, he failed to make his daily visit to the library. He woke up unusually late, and even then he didn’t feel quite like himself.

 _It’s the weather. It must be._ Alec approached the living room window and moved the curtain aside just enough to be able to see the lead-colored sky and flooded streets. The scenery was truly depressing. Alec frowned, deciding that the weather was indeed the adequate excuse for his current state.

He didn’t have much of an appetite at the moment, but it was lunch time so he decided to make himself some soup.

Half an hour later, Alec was curled on the floor in front of the couch. (For some reason, he really liked sitting there.) He held the bowl of soup tightly, soaking in the warmth it radiated.

Although the soup helped Alec feel more alive, he was now starting to feel the soft, but persistent pulsating pain behind his forehead. _Great. A headache._ Alec groaned and marched to the bathroom, opening the cabinet with slightly too much force. After a minute or two of roaming through the shelves, he managed to find some painkillers. _This will have to do_.

After washing the pills down with a glass of water, Alec didn’t have much to do but to wait for the medication to kick in. He didn’t feel like doing much, either.

Wandering through the empty apartment, Alec thought of Jace, somewhat wistful. He did prefer the solitude, but at the moments like this, it would be nice to have his best friend at his side. Instead, all he had was yet another empty room that waited for his roommate’s return. Except Alec didn’t know when that would be.

Falling face-first on his bed, Alec suddenly yelped as his hip unexpectedly hit something hard that was obviously hidden beneath the covers.

_What the hell._

Frowning, Alec lifted the covers and pulled out a book. His expression immediately softened, and he felt slightly ashamed that he had completely forgotten about the book Magnus gave him at the library the day before.

Alec grazed his fingers over the delicately decorated cover. The title said: _One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest_.

He did start reading it last night, but fell asleep after a few pages. _Oh, right. That’s how the book ended up in the bed._ Eager to make up for his forgetfulness, Alec started reading immediately, and in a few moments his thoughts were already far away, lost somewhere in the world he was reading about.

It was already dark outside when the numbness of his limbs caused Alec to briefly stop reading. Draping the blanket over his shoulders like some sort of a cape, Alec moved to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. A moment later, he settled on the windowsill that was covered in pillows.

The outside somehow looked much less depressing now that the night had fallen. Yellow light radiating through the windows warmed the street, and raindrops were leaving graceful wet traces all over the window. Alec found the whole scene very peaceful.

Resting his forehead against the cold glass, he let his thoughts roam for a moment, thinking about nothing and everything at the same time, about his family, Jace, work, Magnus…

Somewhere between two thoughts, he drifted to sleep.

* * *

“Heeey Big Bro! Your favorite surprise is here!!!”

Although it was half past midnight, the black-haired girl’s voice was loud and full of energy. She pushed the front door wide open with her high-heeled boot and marched inside.

“Aaalec, come say hi to your sister! You can’t possibly be mad at me for barging in at this time, you must’ve gotten used to it over the past 6 years.”

A surprised and confused expression formed on the girl’s face when she didn’t get any answer.

“Alec?” Her duffel bag hit the living room floor with a hard thump, which caused something – or someone? – to move on the edge of her line of sight. The girl quickly approached the window, heels clicking on the wooden floor.

“Oh, Alec.” Her expression instantly changed to worry as she covered Alec’s forehead with her hand.

 “Yup. You've definitely got a fever.”

Alec made an inarticulate sound and opened his eyes. “Iz?”

She softly smiled. “I’m sure you’ll kick my ass for coming over unannounced. Again. But that’ll have to wait ‘till the morning. Let’s get you to bed now, shall we?” Alec weakly nodded and tried to sit up. It didn’t go as smoothly as he planned it to, but after a few attempts he managed to stand up.

Alec could feel the pulsating pain behind his forehead again, this time stronger. His head felt like a balloon on his shoulders and his limbs were unusually weak. The latter could’ve simply been caused by falling asleep in a not-so-comfortable position, though.

“I can walk on my own”, Alec grunted when Izzy tried to put an arm around him. He stumbled towards his bedroom, eager to go back to sleep.

“You must really like him.”

There was a loud thump caused by Alec hitting his head on the door frame. He grunted, rubbing his head, and sat on the bed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Izzy leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms, smiling knowingly. “Ok, ok, play dumb if you want, but you know I know you and I can _see_ when you’re into someone. For example,” she said, dropping down on the bed next to him, “there’s no chance you would stay up reading until midnight, especially if you’re already sick, _unless_ if it’s for someone you have feelings for.”

Alec rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t stop a smile from appearing on his lips. “You’re delusional.”

“Yeah, well, I’ll go be delusional in the kitchen because I haven’t eaten anything since lunch and I’m starving. I’ll also make you a cup of tea and bring it over. But try to fall back asleep now, ok?”

Alec was already deep beneath the covers and his eyes, glassy from the fever, were halfway closed. “You’re the best, Izzy.” She sighed dramatically. “Ah, I know.” 

As she was turning around to leave, Alec called. “Hey, Iz?”

“Hm?”

“I missed you.”

Isabelle offered him a wide smile, the one reserved only for her brother. “I missed you, too.”

  

* * *

 

Alec woke up feeling much better. He still had a small fever, but at least his head didn’t hurt anymore. Pulling on an old sweater over his pajamas, he strolled to the kitchen, where Izzy was unpacking breakfast food from Styrofoam containers.

“Good morning, sleepy. Nice dreams, were they?”

“Don’t remember.” Alec threw himself onto the barstool and gratefully accepted the cup of coffee that Izzy handed to him. “I have to say, I’m happy to see you decided not to cook.”

It was widely known that Isabelle was a complete disaster when it came to cooking. Even she came to terms with that fact, so she lightly giggled at Alec’s remark. “I concluded you deserved a day of rest between a fever and food poisoning.”

She sat down next to him, handing him a plate with omelette and bacon. Alec realized his appetite was back and dug the fork into the omelette, enjoying the smell of warm food.

“So, how long did I sleep?”

Isabelle’s response was a bit indistinct, as she also had her mouth full of food. Nevertheless, Alec almost jumped from shock when he heard it.

“It’s 10:30.”

“Oh my god. I didn’t tell Vin I wouldn’t come to work today! He’ll kill me. I’ll have to deal with paying bills for the club for at least 3 months because of this…”

Isabelle grabbed his shoulders to stop him from rushing around aimlessly.

“Alec. Look at me. Chill. I called Vin.” Alec looked at her, wide-eyed, slowly understanding that there’s no reason for panicking. “You did?” He untangled his fingers from his hair and plopped back down onto the barstool, sighing with relief. “Thanks.”

Suddenly realizing something, he squinted at her. “Wait. I thought you hated him.”

Isabelle laughed. “I never said I _hated_ him. I just said that it struck me as quite strange that he didn’t get _any_ of my signals.” She moved her omelette around with a fork. “But hey, that ship has sailed.”

Alec smirked. This was so typical of his sister. “What, you got yourself a new army boy? Tell me about him.”

Izzy playfully smacked his arm, but answered. “Oh, you know that all those guys I train are all the same. Too eager, too full of themselves. After half an hour in the boxing ring, they can’t even look me in the eyes.”

“So, you kick their ass. Nothing new, then.” They smiled at each other, Izzy obviously proud of herself. “Exactly. Although, there was this one guy…” She quickly dismissed her thought with a wave of a hand. “Nothing that would last."

"But. Talking about relationships…” She grinned, and Alec didn’t like the look of that grin. “Your boyfriend called.”

Alec rolled his eyes so far back that it looked like they would get stuck there. “ For the tenth time, Izzy, I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Ok, then not-your-boyfriend called. You know, Magnus. The one whose name you’ve been saying all night.”

Alec almost spit out the omelette. “What!?”

Izzy didn’t seem very affected by his reaction. “Well yeah, you obviously had a dream about him, because at one point during the night you said his name like, 10 times in 2 minutes. It was cute.”

But Alec didn’t care about that. At least not at the moment. “No, not that part. He- he called!?”

She giggled, now obviously amused by Alec’s look of utter panic and shock.

“Yup. Like, an hour ago. The conversation was a little weird, now that I think about it.” Alec knitted his brows. “What do you mean?”

“Well, he assumed that it was you who picked up, so he asked if you were ok. Sounded a bit worried. But when I said that you’re asleep and asked if he had any message for you, he said no and hung up.”

Isabelle put her hand over Alec’s and wiggled her eyebrows playfully. “He likes you, though. Why else would he be checking up on you?”

Alec dropped his forehead on the flat surface of the counter. This was too much information for him to process at this state.

“How did he get your phone number, anyway?” Alec shook his head. “I have no idea.”

He really didn’t have any idea how Magnus got his number, or what was even going on, but the fact that Magnus called to ask if he was ok was enough to make him smile for the rest of the day.

* * *

 

** Earlier that day: **

Magnus wasn’t worried when Alec didn’t show up on Sunday. Gloomy? Yes. Disappointed? Definitely. But not worried. After all, he did spend the whole day coming up with reasons as to why Alec decided not to come. Maybe he was working. Maybe he was on a trip somewhere. Maybe he simply didn’t manage to finish reading the book he already had. Maybe he was hit by a bus…

Magnus dismissed thoughts like those and returned to his work. But he couldn’t escape the fact that he really _missed_ Alec. He realized some time ago that Alec’s visit to the library had become his favorite part of the day, so now he felt as if something was… missing.

He tossed and turned ‘till the wee hours of the night, but finally managed to fall asleep.

In the morning, however, he made a firm decision. If Alec doesn’t show up in the morning on his way to work, he’ll call him.

 

Magnus was waiting by the window since 8 a.m., but Alec didn’t come to the library. He didn’t even pass by.

 _Now_ Magnus was worried. He went to the staff room and retrieved his phone from the jacket. Slowly, he typed in the number he had written on a piece of paper.

_This is so creepy. I’m so creepy. Getting a guy’s number from his library records? Seriously, Magnus? That’s the best you can do?_

Nevertheless, he pressed the “call” button. After a few rings, Magnus started questioning his decision.

 _It’s probably nothing. He just took the day off and he’ll find it weird that I’m calling him._ But at that precise moment, someone picked up.

Eager to explain his intentions, Magnus started talking immediately.

“Hello, Alexander. Sorry for bothering you, I just wanted to make sure you’re ok. It’s probably nothing, but you didn’t come by yesterday or… or this morning, so I was- I was worried.”

The response followed just moments later.

“Hello, this is Isabelle. Alec is sleeping, but is there any message you want me to get to him? I could wake him up too, if you want.”

Magnus’ insides dropped at the sound of a female voice. He was prepared for Alec’s negative reaction, but not for this.

He needed to hang up. Now.

“Um, no, thanks. Let him sleep. Sorry for disturbing you. Bye.” He ended the conversation he could hear the girl’s answer.

He sat down, unable to stop the dizziness that blurred his vision.

Of course Alec had a girlfriend.


	5. The Acronym

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you I'd post this one soon :) I really hope you'll like it, I was writing it 'till 2 a.m. last night, I just couldn't stop. Sorry for the angst, but for me the happy endings are always better if the characters suffer a little first. Intense emotions and all that. Enjoy and tell me what you think!  
> P.S. PLEASE VOTE IN THE COMMENTS - do you prefer Sizzy or Saphael???  
> This may or may not have something to do with the further development of this fic ;)

By the next day Alec was feeling like new, so he went to the library the first thing in the morning.

He found Magnus upstairs, stacking some bookshelves. Magnus had heard Alec’s footsteps as he approached, so he glanced at him over the shoulder.

 _He looks… distressed,_ Alec thought.

“Alexander.”

Alec nervously smiled. “Hi, Magnus. I came to-“ But Magnus interrupted him before he could finish his sentence.

“To return a book?” Magnus gave Alec a sign to follow him as he started descending the stairs.

After a momentary surprise, Alec recollected himself and answered.

“Um, yeah. And also, I wanted to thank you for calling. It was a really… kind gesture.”

Magnus tensed, but continued his way towards the counter, not even glancing at Alec. “Yes, well, I didn’t want to disturb you. But you were obviously well taken care of, so everything turned out just fine, right?”

Alec was more than a little surprised by Magnus’ unusual, bitter tone, but decided not to say anything about it, at least not yet.

“Yes, Izzy came over-“

He didn’t manage to finish this sentence either, because Magnus made a sudden turn to face him and interrupted him yet again. “Anyway. Here’s your new book. Now, I’m sorry, but I have to return to my work, so I can’t stay and chat. I hope you understand.”

Without waiting for an answer, Magnus walked away, leaving Alec behind with a look of utter disbelief painted on his face.

 

* * *

 

 

It was noon, but Alec still wasn’t over the shock from this morning. _What’s going on with Magnus? Did I do something wrong? Maybe he’s in some kind of trouble…_

Vin’s voice pulled him back to reality. “Alec, will you or will you not finish that salad?”

Alec shook his head and smiled apologetically. “Sorry. You can have it, actually. I’m not that hungry.”

Vin shot him a worried look. “You sure you’re ok? I really think you should eat this. You just got better, it would be a shame for you to end up with a fever again.”

Alec handed him the chicken salad. “Thanks, but no, thanks. I’ll be ok, I promise.”

Vin still didn’t look convinced, but his appetite prevailed so he buried his fork into the salad.

“If you say so. But you'll have to tell me what happened this morning. And don’t tell me ‘nothing’, because you’ve been in this strange mood since you got to work.”

Alec sighed. “This one… friend. All of a sudden, he’s acting strange. And I don’t know what I did for him to be mad at me.”

Vin was stuffing his face with the remains of the salad, but somehow managed to comment on Alec's words. “How do you even know he’s mad at you?”

Thinking for a moment and realizing he didn't have an answer, Alec shrugged. “I.. don’t.”

Vin finished the salad and wiped his mouth. “Look, man. I don’t know your friend, and I don’t know why he’s acting the way he’s acting. Maybe it’s not even your fault. Maybe he just had a bad day. Wait and see. And if that doesn’t work, well, my advice is, talk to the man. Ask him _‘What the hell’_. It’s way better than trying to guess what he thinks, if you ask me.”

Rubbing his face, Alec sighed once more. “You’re probably right. Thanks.” Vin grinned. “Hey. Always here to deliver the best advices and the worst puns. Now, let’s go back to work.”

* * *

 

Over the next few days, Magnus’ behavior towards Alec (thankfully) didn’t get any worse, but it wasn’t better, either. The simplest way to put it would be that Magnus was avoiding him. Their interaction was seemingly restricted to merely exchanging books. Every time Alec tried to initiate a conversation, Magnus would find a polite way to inform him that he had much work to do or that other customers needed him.

And, honestly, it was driving Alec insane.

“I don’t know what to do, Iz.” Alec was currently sprawled across his couch, one hand holding the phone while the other was throwing a small ball towards the ceiling repeatedly. “Maybe he doesn’t like me so he’s trying to distance himself from me.”

When Isabelle responded, she sounded breathless, which wasn’t unusual considering that she was currently jogging at the gym. “Don’t be silly. I told you, I’m sure he likes you. And you know I’m never wrong about this stuff.” Alec silently agreed. “Look, maybe you should just talk to him. Wait, no. Cross that. You should _definitely_ talk to him. Tell him how you feel. Ask him out.”

Alec snorted. “Yeah, and while I’m at it, I should also throw myself under the bus. No way, Izzy.”

He could almost hear her shaking her head. “ _If you dare nothing, then when the day is over, nothing is all you will have gained._ ”

“Don’t you quote Neil Gaiman to me!” Izzy laughed. “Had to try. Anyway, you know I’m right. Please, listen to me, or you’ll regret this forever.” With that, she ended the call.

Alec buried his face in a pillow. He did know she was right.

_I’ll have to do it. I just don’t know how._

* * *

 

The next day, however, all Alec’s plans fell through the moment he stepped into the library. Magnus was alone, but he looked worn out and borderline ill. Worry instinctively appeared on Alec’s face.

“Magnus, are you ok?”

Magnus ignored his question. “What do you want?”

Alec was taken aback by this answer. It sounded… cold. It took just moments for his worry to be replaced by anger and frustration. Alec's palms curled into fists at his sides.

“Look, if you don’t want me here, you should just say so.”

“Then I think you should leave.”

Just a second later, it was obvious by the look on Magnus’ face that this wasn’t what he intended to say. But it was already too late. Alec started backing away towards the door, deep hurt obvious on his face.

“Alexander…”

Magnus’ voice hit the glass door closing behind Alec’s back as he ran out into the street.

 

* * *

 

 

Magnus didn’t want to pick up the phone. He had just escorted the last customer out and all he wanted to do was to go home, pour himself some hard liquor and beat himself up over messing up the best chance he ever had of being with someone as amazing as Alexander.

However, this was the third time in two minutes that someone was calling, so he decided to pick up anyway and tell them the working hours have ended.

“ _Crossroads_ library, Magnus Bane speaking.”

There was a familiar female voice on the other side of the line.

“Hi, yes, this is Isabelle, Alec’s sister. I was wondering if maybe Alec was with you, because he isn’t answering his phone and I have no idea where he is.”

Magnus tried to process what he had just heard, but failed.

“I didn’t know Alec had a sister.” He was aware he must've sounded dumb saying this, but it was the first thing that came to his mind.

“Well, he has. You even talked to me a week ago.” She sounded eager to change the topic back to her brother’s possible disappearance, but Magnus was currently having an epiphany of the worst kind so he wasn’t able to notice the tension in her voice.

“You’re… You’re Izzy?”

“Yeah, that’s me.” She sounded like he asked her if the water was wet.

Magnus hit his head against the wall. _I fucked up so bad._

“Anyhow. Is Alec there or not? Because soon I’ll start getting really worried.”

Letting out a loud sigh, Magnus forced himself to answer. “No, he isn’t. We sort of… had a fight.”

“Oh.” She paused. “I’m sorry. I’m sure guys will figure it out.”

Magnus nodded reluctantly, forgetting the fact that she couldn’t see him.

“I have to go now. Bye!” Izzy’s voice was replaced by the beeping sound that informed Magnus the conversation was over. He hit his head against the wall one more time, trying to comprehend his own shortsightedness. He was crushing on Alec so hard that he didn’t even stop to think about all the possibilities regarding the girl’s identity.

_If there’s any chance for me to fix this, I have to take it._

* * *

 

 

It was almost 11 p.m. when Alec finally returned home. If someone had asked him, he wouldn’t be able to say where he’d been the whole day. After running out of the library, he continued running for a few blocks. When he began having trouble catching his breath, he slowed down and started walking aimlessly. He vaguely remembered being at some park. He also visited an archery club – not his own – but left shortly after when he realized his hands were shaking too much for him to hold the bow.

Now, he was exhausted – both emotionally and physically.

He took off his shirt, wet from sweat, and turned on his phone. Of course, the screen immediately lit up, informing him of a dozen missed calls.

Two were from Vin. Alec rested his head against the wall. He felt really guilty about not calling Vin and telling him he’ll be missing the work, but in his defense, he didn’t exactly plan on not showing up today. _I’ll have to apologize to him tomorrow._

Alec continued scrolling through the endless list of calls. Most of them were from Izzy, and a few from an unknown number. Moving towards the kitchen, Alec played the messages from the answering machine.

 

  1. “Hey Alec, it’s Izzy! How did it go with Magnus? I suppose it went well because you’re not answering your phone, but at least a short ‘thank you for your advice’ text would be nice. Call me!”
  2. “Not cool, Alec. You can’t ignore me forever. You know I’m a curious person. You don’t have to tell me all the juicy details, but give me at least something!”
  3. “Alexander Gideon Lightwood, if you don’t call me in the next 30 minutes, I’ll really kick your ass. What’s going on?”
  4. “Alec, I’m really worred. Please call me.”
  5. “I’ve talked to Magnus, Alec. I heard you guys had a fight. I’m really sorry. I’m sure it’ll be ok. I know you've probably turned off your phone to get some space, but please text me so I know you’re ok."



 

Alec’s eyes filled with tears. _Fierce Izzy, always so caring when it comes to her family._ He stopped the messages from playing to send Izzy a quick text.

There was only one message left. Alec pressed the play button and immediately froze when he heard the familiar voice.

“Alexander.”

Alec considered just deleting the message, but in the end opted against it and let it play.

“I know you probably hate me and you have every right to do so. How I acted was… terrible. If it means anything to you, what I said today wasn’t what I wanted to say at all. It’s not even close to what I wanted to say. Please, if you can find it in your heart to give me a chance to…" Magnus trailed off and sighed, but continued shortly after. "If you can find it in your heart to just give me a chance, come to the library. Please.”

There was a long pause, so long that Alec actually thought the recording was over.

“If not, just know that you’re one of the most remarkable persons I’ve ever met. And feel free to keep the book you have on you.”

For a long time after the recording ended, Alec remained standing in the middle of the dark room, not moving, letting the thoughts, questions and emotions tear him apart.

 

* * *

 

 

It was late in the afternoon and the sign on the door said ‘closed’, but Alec still entered the library. The bells above his head chimed, giving him a strange sensation of both familiarity and anxiety. The library seemed deserted. Alec started slowly walking towards the counter, looking around in hopes of spotting Magnus.

“Do you remember the titles of all the books?”

Magnus’ voice came to Alec from behind his back. He turned around and noticed Magnus standing in a row between the two bookshelves, leaning against the windowsill.

It was clear that Magnus was asking about the books he'd been giving to Alec. “Yes. I remember them.”

Realizing that Magnus didn't have any intention of commenting on his answer, Alec started listing the titles.

“ _The Waves, Inferno, The Little Prince, Leaves of Grass, Yours ever: people and their letters, One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Universe in a Nutshell, The Graveyard Book, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Of Mice and Men, The Universe of Us, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, The Winter’s Tale, The Importance of Being Earnest, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Hamlet_.”

He looked at Magnus daringly, waiting to see his reaction. When Magnus finally looked up and their eyes met, Alec was surprised by the intensity of Magnus’ gaze.  

“Can you now isolate the first letters of each title?” Magnus looked at him as if he was trying to say: _Understand what I’m trying to tell you with all of this._

However, Alec was confused. "Is this a game?"

Magnus almost jumped, suddenly scared that Alec would leave. "No!" His answer turned out to be much louder than he intended it to be, so he repeated it one more time, quieter, proving to Alec that he was calm and serious about their conversation. "No."

“Is this what you wanted to tell me yesterday?”

“Yes.”

Although Alec was still confused, something in Magnus’ pleading look made him obey.

He begun spelling.

“ _W.I.L.L.Y.O.U.G.O.O.U.T.W.I.T.H.”_

As he was spelling, Alec slowly started realizing the hidden message.

His eyes widened as he repeated it one more time, this time forming words instead of individual letters.

“Will you go out with…”

“…me?” Magnus almost whispered the end of his secret message.

He was hiding it in plain sight all this time, but now that it was revealed, he looked so vulnerable, fear of rejection painted all over his face. Still, he remained standing still, waiting for an answer.

Alec didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stared at Magnus for a few more moments. Then, suddenly, he moved, closing the distance between them in just a few steps.

Raising his palm, Alec cupped Magnus' face and in one swift, but gentle movement brought their lips together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @Starsfallinglikerain: I told you I'm not just choosing the book titles randomly :)  
> The list of all literary works mentioned in this fic so far:  
> The Waves, Virginia Woolf  
> Inferno, Dante Alighieri  
> The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery  
> Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman  
> Yours ever: people and their letters, Thomas Mallon  
> One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez  
> The Universe in a Nutshell, Stephen Hawking  
> The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman  
> One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey  
> Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck  
> The Universe of Us, Lang Leav  
> The Tales of Beedle the Bard, J.K. Rowling  
> The Winter’s Tale, William Shakespeare  
> The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde  
> A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini  
> Hamlet, William Shakespeare


	6. You have ice cream on your nose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there :) Anyone still reading? Sorry for taking so long to update, I had too many ideas for this chapter so I had to undergo a long process of deciding which ones would actually work. Trying to keep this short, but I just have to say: OUR BABES LOVE EACH OTHER! That last episode got me smiling for days :')  
> Anyway, enjoy!

“So… Black one, or the blue one?”

Alec was standing in front of the mirror, one shirt in each of his hands. He felt stupid talking to his own reflection, but he also felt stupid for only now realizing that he didn’t have anything nice to wear.

It was moments like this that really made him hate Izzy’s unpredictable job. If she were here, she’d know exactly what he should wear to look less plain standing next to Magnus.

Magnus had an impeccable taste. He always looked so well put-together, his clothes subtle, but at the same time electric.

In contrast, Alec was very fond of his endless collection of black T-shirts and jeans. He also never really thought of purchasing some potential date outfits. Until now.

Alec huffed and closed his eyes, trying to relax. _Chill, Alec. You’ve got this._

As brave as Alec seemed that day, answering Magnus’ question with a kiss, that bravery soon left him. They decided to wait ‘til the weekend to go to their date, and with every passing hour Alec’s nervousness grew.

_What if he changed his mind? What if he starts getting to know me and realizes that I’m not who he thought I was, and things start getting awkward and…_

_Maybe I should call this whole thing off._

At that precise moment, Alec’s phone started ringing and Magnus’ name appeared on the screen.

“Crap! It’s already 10!?”

Alec rushed towards the bathroom to grab his toothbrush, answering the phone along the way.

“Hey, Magnus, sorry, I’m running a bit late. Do you want to, um, come upstairs? I’ll need just a few more minutes to get ready. The door is open.”

Magnus barely managed to agree before Alec ended the call and dropped the phone on the edge of the sink to wash his face.

Drying his cheeks with a towel, he glanced towards his reflection. Cheeks (already) flushed, hair messy… He ran one hand through the black strands in a hopeless attempt to tame his hair.

Half-running to the living room, Alec entered just in time to see Magnus appearing through the front door.

“Hi.” Alec’s breathless greeting made Magnus smile.

“Good morning, Alexander.”

For a moment, there was silence as Alec tried to regain his voice. He was left speechless at the sight of Magnus, standing there, in _his_ hallway, in a dark purple shirt and black waistcoat, with his sleeves rolled up.

_It shouldn’t be possible for a person to look this good._

Somehow, though, Alec managed to snap out of this trance.

“You look… really nice.”

A wicked grin appeared on Magnus’ face, like he had a really good dirty joke on his mind, but he kept his reply simple. “You too.”

Only after following Magnus’ glance did Alec realize the source of his amusement - his shirt was still unbuttoned. “Oh.” He fumbled with the buttons nervously while Magnus politely looked away, although Alec noticed him… _blushing_?

“I brought us coffee.” Magnus gestured to the two take-out cups in his hands. Smiling gratefully, Alec led Magnus towards the bar.

“Here, sit, make yourself comfortable. I just need to find my shoes and then I’ll be ready to go.”

Putting down the cups and taking a sip from one of them, Magnus settled down on one of the barstools. “Take your time, Alexander.”

 

Waiting for Alec to return with his shoes, Magnus looked around, admiring the spacious living room.

“You have a really nice apartment, if I may say. Quite big, too, considering that there’s just one person living here.”

Alec emerged from his room, still tying the laces on his shoes. “Thanks. Well, I don’t live alone. Technically.”

He noticed Magnus’ curious look. “Technically?”

Alec half-laughed and approached the bar, reaching for his cup.

“It’s kind of a long story. Or, hmm… Not that long, now that I think about it.” He took a sip while Magnus looked at him expectantly, waiting for the elaboration.

“I have a roommate. My best friend, Jace. We’ve been living together since we were 18. But he opted for a career in the military, and that means long periods of his absence. So I’m mostly alone.”

Magnus nodded. “You must get lonely.”

Alec shrugged. “Not really. I’m not very keen on socializing, so I actually appreciate being able to spend some time alone when I come home in the afternoon.”

“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but you’re going out with _me_ today, and that means you’ll have to do your fair share of socializing.”

Magnus grinned as Alec burst out laughing.

“I think I’ll survive.”

 

* * *

 

 

“So, you really thought Izzy was my _girlfriend_?” Alec couldn’t suppress the giggles from emerging, because the thought was just so _absurd_.

They were currently walking through the ZOO, surrounded by living areas of wild cats. Magnus insisted on paying for both their tickets, persuading Alec that he’ll be able to pay for everything ‘the next time’.

Magnus frowned. Obviously the idea of Alec having a girlfriend wasn’t so funny to him.

“What was I supposed to think? You’ve never mentioned having a sister. Hey, don’t laugh at me!” He playfully smacked Alec’s shoulder to make him stop giggling.

Alec wiped the tears away. “Sorry. But, me having a girlfriend? It’s hilarious.” Magnus finally gave in and smiled.

“So, you’re trying to say that you’ve never had a girlfriend?”

Alec confirmed with a nod.

“Boyfriend, then?” This time, Alec thought for a moment before answering.

“Well, I _was_ crushing on Jace most of my childhood, so there’s that.” Magnus couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course.”

Alec anxiously glanced towards Magnus, trying to determine if this confession upset him in any way. “It was a long time ago”, he said apologetically.

Magnus raised his eyebrows and softly looked at Alec. “Why are you apologizing? It’s your past, and your life. And besides, it sounds like a really interesting story.”

Alec shrugged. “There’s actually not much of a story. We’ve known each other since we were kids, and having a crush on him was basically how I realized I was gay. But nothing ever happened and now he’s like a brother to me.”

Magnus nodded. “And what about Isabelle? Are you two close?”

“I love my sister more than anything.” The response came instantly, and it was obvious from Alec’s voice that he truly meant every word he said.

He went silent for a moment, trying to decide whether to keep talking or to let the topic fade out here. He wasn’t used to sharing personal details like these with anyone, especially not with someone he’d only known for a couple of weeks, but there was _something_ in Magnus that made him instinctively trust him.

“My family is… complicated. And dysfunctional. Izzy and I have been looking after each other since we were kids. She’s my only real family, and I’d do anything to protect her. Not that she needs protection, though. She’s fierce.”

Magnus’ intense gaze was entirely focused on Alec. Much to Alec’s surprise, it appeared like Magnus was genuinely interested in hearing about Alec’s family.

“She sounds amazing. Just like you.”

For a split of second, Alec didn’t know how to react. He desperately wanted to return the compliment, but didn’t know how.

Instead, he reached for Magnus’ hand.

Gently grazing the knuckles of his left hand against Magnus’ right, he sensed a tingle of goosebumps running up his arm. After Magnus didn’t pull his hand away, Alec intertwined their fingers and braced himself for the other man’s reaction.

A moment passed, and then Magnus gently squeezed his fingers, causing Alec to let out the breath he was holding.

No words were needed to acknowledge this new, but pleasant contact.

 

* * *

 

 

“And after Paris… I _think_ I went to Mumbai. Or was it Shanghai? I always mix up the timeline when it comes to these two. Anyway, for the last two years I was living in Peru, but 3 months ago I had to close my antiquity shop. And that’s when I moved back to the US.”

Magnus finished his story and leaned against the wooden railing surrounding a small pond. One moment later, Alec joined him.

“Antiquity shop? I thought you only collected books.”

Magnus smiled sheepishly. “Well, actually, you could say I’m something of a history buff. So not only do I have an antiquity collection, but I also possess a vast knowledge of completely irrelevant but interesting history facts.”

Alec looked amused. “Really? You realize you’ll have to share at least one now, right?”

Magnus didn’t hesitate to answer. “Lord Byron kept a pet bear in his college dorm room.”

Not expecting such a quick and _random_ answer, Alec burst out laughing.

Watching him with fondness, Magnus decided that a laughing Alec was definitely his favorite sight.

 

Calming down, Alec wiped away the tears for the second time that day. “I have to admit, that talent of yours is by far the best talent a person could have.”

Magnus winked. “This fun fact was for free, but you’ll have to earn the next one.” He was happy to see that he was still able to make Alec blush.

Running a hand through his hair, Alec continued the conversation. “Anyway. I can’t believe you lived in all those places. And all that in just 25 years!”

Magnus chuckled. “Well, Young One, you still have enough time to catch up.” Alec tried to look offended. “Hey, I’m just one year younger!”

But after Magnus didn’t continue the teasing, Alec realized Magnus’ attention was focused on something else – Magnus was squinting and looking across the pond, obviously observing something Alec couldn’t see.

Suddenly, he started walking, fast and elegant like a cat. “Follow me”, he said over the shoulder, prompting a slightly confused Alec to catch up.

Magnus led them to the other side of the pond. He clearly had a goal, but Alec was still clueless as to what it was.

“Magnus… Where are we going?”

“To him.” Magnus pointed towards an old man standing behind a red pushcart. The man spotted Magnus and offered him a wide, toothless smile.

Alec could hear Magnus exchanging a few words with him in a language he didn’t understand ( _Indonesian?_ ).

He couldn’t help but think how Magnus sounded incredibly exotic and, well, _sexy_ , speaking a foreign language.

Magnus returned, carrying two ice cream cones. “Chocolate or vanilla?”

Alec eyed the cones, secretly hoping that his previous thoughts weren’t written all over his face. “Vanilla.”

Magnus handed him one of the cones as they started walking towards the exit. Pointing a finger over his shoulder, Magnus explained: “This guy has, hands down, the best ice cream in the whole city, but to spot him is an art, as he doesn’t have a permanent working spot.”

Alec hummed in agreement as he ate his ice cream, which was indeed delicious.

They continued walking in comfortable silence, both enjoying their sweet snack and each other’s company.

At one point, Magnus glanced at Alec and started giggling. Not being able to suppress a smile upon seeing Magnus laughing, Alec stopped.

“What? Why are you laughing?”

Magnus went to stand in front of him. “You have ice cream. On your nose.”

Frowning, Alec wiped a hand across his face. “Did I get it all off?”

“Not quite.” Magnus pointed at his upper lip. “You missed some here.”

But before Alec could raise his hand again, Magnus leaned forward and gently pressed his lips over the exact spot he was pointing at.

Although the contact didn’t last for more than a few seconds, it was enough to leave Alec stunned. Magnus pulled back and looked up to meet Alec’s eyes. When he opened his mouth to speak, his voice came out unusually quiet.

“There. _Now_ it’s all gone.”

Alec bowed his head, their foreheads almost touching, and mumbled his response against Magnus’ lips.

“You sure?”

Slightly overwhelmed by the sudden sensation of Alec’s breath on his skin, Magnus closed his eyes. “Positive.”

A smile slowly formed on Alec's face. “I think you got some of that ice cream on your lip now, though. Let me get that for you.” And with that, Alec connected their lips once again.

This kiss wasn’t desperate, like their first one, or chaste, like their second one. It was sweet and lazy and playful, tasting of chocolate, vanilla and happiness.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“I had a great time today. Thank you, Magnus.”

They were walking hand in hand down the _Library Street_ , coming closer to the _Crossroads_ sign with every step.

“No, thank _you_ , for spending your day off socializing, instead of resting at home.”

Alec grinned. “It turns out that socializing isn’t that bad. I might do it again sometime.”

They stopped in front of the library and Alec noticed that the sign on the door said ‘open’. Confused, he turned to Magnus.

“Hey… If you’re here, then who’s working in there?”

Magnus turned his head to look through the window and pointed towards a boy who was walking around with a huge pile of books in his hands.

“That’s Simon. I hired him this week. He’s a little too keen on comic books and not familiar enough with literature _without_ pictures in it, if you ask me, but he’s a good guy. His help is much appreciated. And _besides_ ,”

Saying that, Magnus looked up at Alec. “without him around, I wouldn’t be able to ask you if you wanted to come upstairs and let me make you the best _piña colada_ you’ve ever tasted.”

 

Unfortunately, the sound of a loud thump coming from the library prevented Alec from answering, and something sounding suspiciously like a pile of books falling over followed shortly after.

Magnus let his forehead fall on Alec’s shoulder in defeat.

“On the other hand, maybe I should’ve hired an elephant instead. It seems that an elephant would at least have _some_ coordination skills.”

Patting Magnus on the back, Alec offered him a reassuring smile. “There’ll be time for _piña coladas_. But right now, I think that… that Simon guy, needs your help.”

Magnus let out an audible sigh and flattened the creases on his shirt. “Well then, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going inside to tell him that what _I_ need is a cocktail with my boyfriend-“

Alec’s sharp intake of breath made Magnus turn his head to look at him. There was a mix of shock and amusement in Alec’s eyes.

“Boyfriend, huh?”

“Oh.” Magnus only now realized what he had said. He studied Alec’s face in hopes of finding out his opinion on the matter, but the attempt was pointless. The man was an unreadable book.

Finally, Magnus shrugged.

“What, you don’t like the sound of it? I mean, we could change the term if you want. It could be ‘lover’, 'significant other', 'special someone', 'bae', ‘arm candy'...

Alec laughed and pulled Magnus closer. “No, no, not necessary. Boyfriend is… Boyfriend is _perfect_.”

**Author's Note:**

> When I got the idea for this fic, I was reading a completely unrelated Saphael coffee shop AU. And although I'm not a huge fan of AUs and was sure I'd never write one, here we are. I guess this just developed too much too fast in my head not to be put down on paper. As you can guess, I already have a few ideas for the following chapters, but I seriously don't know when I'll be able to update because I have a ton of work to do. Although, knowing me, I'll probably neglect all the work and write this stuff instead haha. Also, I usually don't write mutiple chapter stuff because I don't trust myself enough to be sure I won't get bored one day and neglect it. But I guess it's time I took a leap of faith, so I started this one anyways. Next chapters could be longer, but I just had to post this one as it is, or otherwise I'd never post anything lol. Hugs and kisses guys, thanks for reading!


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